Storage receptacle



May 3, 1932. c. s. THORNE STORAGE RECEPTACLE Filed Nov. 18,, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet l y 1932- r c. B. THORNE. 1,856,361

STORAGE RECEPTACLE Filed Nov. 18., 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2? 4 ATTO/Q/VEXPatented May 3, 1932 PATENT OFFICE CARL BUSCH THORNE, OF HAWKESBURY,ONTARIO, CANADA STORAGE RECEPTAGLE f V I Application filed November 18,1829. Serial No. 408,091.

The invention relates to a storage receptacle, as described in thepresent specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings thatform part of the same.

' The invention consists essentially of the novel features ofconstruction pointed out broadly and specifically in the claims fornovelty following a description containing an ex- ,r planation in detailof an acceptable form of m the invention.

The objects of the invention are to store slowly moving materials whichare to some extent semi-fluent, that is to say, they flow largely fromtheir own weight and fill up any receptacle in a comparatively shortspace of time, and require some assistance in their Withdrawal to insurea continuous discharge of the material especially into measuring boxesor compartments, which may be of any form; to facilitate proportioningmaterial from the tower; to maintain the levelling of material in atower constant during the discharge operations, that is to say, theusual condition of the contents of a receptacle containing slowly-movingmaterial is a distinct sinking in the centre while at the edge thematerial clings to the wall, therefore all new material entering poursdown this naturally formed funnel which leaves a considerable quanity ofthe contents almost permanent and at the same time detrimentally affectsthe discharge, and it is to avoid this condition of affairs that theconstant level is to be maintained, so that in discharging the material8 5 drops at the edges as quickly as it does in the centre andtherebetween, keeping up a continuous emptying movement for deposit inthe measuring apparatus to facilitate the operations in paper mills,silk mills, storage ware houses, or other manufacturing places, so thatthe desired grades of pulp or other material maybe kept in storage andconstantly drawn and always fresh material secured; and generally toprovide in mills or other establishments storage for raw or partlymanufactured materials that may be tapped at will and yet kept in goodcondition.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectionalyiew of the lowerportion of a tower, tank, bin or other receptacle and a longitudinalsectional view of a plough member r0- tatably mounted and engaging thebottom portion of the receptacle.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the tower or other receptacleshowing a plan View of the plough member.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective detail of the plough member.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of one form of the storage receptacle.

Figure 5 is an elevational View showing a modification of the storagereceptacle.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the storage receptacle illustratedin Figure 5.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the variousfigures. Referring to the drawings, the receptacle is here shown as atower, indicated by the numeral 15. j

The bottom 16 of this tower sloops inwardly and is inclined downwardlyfrom the tower wall to the central discharge opening 17 at the bottom ofwhich is a measuring chamber 18, that is to say, while a plain box isshown below the discharge opening any desired form of measuring devicemay be used in that box.

In the centre of the frame forming the box the shaft 19 projectsupwardly into the tower through the bearings 20 and 21. At the upper endof the shaft the hub 23 of the plough member 22 is mounted, said ploughmember being supported on the bearing 21.

The arms 25 and 26 of said plough member project in the direction of thewalls of the tower and terminate in proximity thereto and the arm 25carries the blades 27 and 28 of arcuate shape in longitudinal sectionand projecting therefrom in a direction to sweep the floor of the towerin cooperation with the blades 29 and 30 projecting from the arm 26 inalternate positions in relation to the arms 27 and 28 so that every partof the floor is swept by these blades of arcuate shape.

The radial levelling blades 31 and 32 and 33 project from the hub 23 ofthe plough member and extend downwardly below the floor within themeasure 18, so that the material within said measure is levellel offcontinuously and dropped .out in the most approved manner to beconstantly refilled.

The shaft is shown as operated by the gear mechanism 34 suitably driven,and the discharged material is shown as transported by any suitable formof conveying mechanism indicated by the numeral 35. y

In the operation of this invention, the tower is charged with materialsuch as pulp for the manufacture of paper, silk and other products orwith any dense or granular material, and this material remains instorage until it is desired to withdraw a small portion of it or aconsiderable portion of it, or all of it, as the case may be, or to becontinuously withdrawing and recharging,

' The discharged material is prepared for by placing some sort ofreceptacle underneath the central opening preferably a measure of somekind and then the shaft is retated and this rotates the plough memberwhich sweeps the floor completely with its arcuate blades, these bladesdirecting and even urging the material in to the central dischargeopening.

The blades being alternately placed on either side of the hub, themovement of the flow is even from the side wall of the tower to thecentre thereof, because these arcuate blades are simply sliding thematerial inwardly from the outside in' a continuous flow towards thecentre, and at thesame time the material itself is dropping in thecentre at an even rate which insures a perfectly level surface of thecontents continuously during the discharging movement for the levellingblades in the centre have their function, which isinconjunction with thearcuate blades to maintain a perfectly level surface of the dischargematerial, consequently as all the members contributing to the outwardflow of the material are associated in centering an even drop of thematerial throughout the topmost level is maintained and the tower emptied evenly, so as to insure freshmaterial at each recharging.

In Figures 5 and 6, another form of storage receptacle is s'hown inwhich the bottom end is completely open and across this bottom end theseveral conveyers operate, which instead of sweeping an inclined bottom,as described in referenceto the earlier figures, form the bottomthemselves and operate through it, these conveyers having transversedivisions which not only constitute a means of measuring the materialswithdrawn from the receptacle, but maintain the surface level of thecontents evenly from wall to wall.

This particular receptacle is shown in the drawings as square orrectangular so thatthe distributing member must travel in endlessconveyers thereacrossf I The casing in this form of the invention isindicated by the numeral 36, and it is completely open at the lower end,while the-conveyers are indicated by the numeral 37 and the transversedivisions by the numeral 38.

These are endless conveyers and are driven in any suitable manner anddischarge on to other conveyers or into another chamber or receptacle.

In this secondform of the lnventlon there is still the radial movement,but it 1s extended to form a flooring for the receptacle which may bestiffened in any desired manner to bear the weight, and the conveyerscontinuously pass across the bottom area and divisions engage thematerial from the bottom end, and this engagement is in the way ofdistribution so that all parts of the contents thereabove are effected,thereforethere is no particular drop at any one point, simply sinkingevenly and correspondingv with the discharge.

What I claim is K 1. A storage receptacle comprising a tower having aninclined bottom surrounding a discharge openingand a levelling membermounted for rotation and having its arms cutting the contents in ahorizontal path and its blades extending downwardly into proximity withthe bottom in gradually reducing depthstowards the tower walls for. thepurpose of reducing the height of the contents in the center in relationto the height at the wall.

2. In a storage receptacle, a tower having its'bottom inclined slightlyto a central discharge opening, a discharge receiving box extending intosaid opening and forming a.

well therebelow and means for levelling the contents of the receptacleand progressing it to said receiving box.

3. A storage receptacle comprising a tower having its bottom sloping ina gentle incline tom, a shaft suitably journalled and driven g andprojecting centrally through said opening'and a levelling member havingarms turning in a horizontal path through the vessel contents,and-arcuate blades projecting from said arms and in rotation with saidshaft sweeping the entire bottom surface surrounding said opening.

'5. In a storage receptacle, a vessel having a central discharge openingthrough the bottom, a shaft suitably journalled and driven andprojecting centrally through said opening and a plough having horizontalarms forming levelling members and extending into the proximity of thevessel wall and also having curved blades of varying depthsproquantities tol jecting from said arms in alternate positions oneither side of said shaft respectively in groups and together coveringthe bottom in rotation.

6. In a storage receptacle, a vessel having a central discharge openingthrough the bottom surrounded by the bottom sloping at a gentle incline,a shaft suitably journalled and driven and projecting centrally throughsaid opening and a plough member mounted on said shaft and havinghorizontal arms levelling the contents and blades in rotation sweepingthe material down said incline and also having radial blades from thehub thereof projecting through said discharge openmg.

Signed at Montreal, Can. this 22d day of October 1929.

CARL BUSOH THORNE.

